For the reasons mentioned, I wonder if they would have just chosen the #18-5.5" had it already been developed. Guess we will never know.

The #18-7 1/2" would have been my choice, "especially" in the "all stainless" version! This was prior to that model design. Who knows: There is a more than better chance this design led to the next. (I mean, they're only 1 number off!)
Best, Capt. Chris

Yes, especially when they discovered that their matches got wet in the #17 handle upon splash down.

This is one of the best threads I have read in a long time... Thank you to everyone who makes this forum so great.

cheers!

Cap, is this the same knife from the pic on the first page of this thread?

I have no way of knowing that. The photos are from opposite sides. I only know that Jason said the photo that I posted came from the space museum...Sorry I cannot be more clear.
Best, Capt. Chris

no, I know, thank you. It just doesn't look like the same knife to me.

No, I think the consensus is that it's not the same knife. I think the conditions show that but also I think we've determined that one is in the space museum now while the other one is in the Indiana state park museum (the one on the first page).

H. Thank you for the update and clarification. The one pulled out of the LB7 is the second pic...

No blade runner. The knife that the cap has posted is the real deal. It's the knife on Gus's
Liberty Bell Capsule. The knife in the first post is a second knife owned by Gus and I suppose donated to that particular museum mentioned in that post.
Also blade runner you might want to read this entire thread from beginning to end....